Press Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Eric Hovind
(850) 479-3466
[email protected]

 

Speaker Provokes Veiled Threat of $1 Million Lawsuit Against Public School

LaGrange, Georgia – April 24, 2015. Atheist organization, Freedom From Religion Foundation, sends veiled threat of $1 million lawsuit to Public School after hosting renowned debater to teach Critical Thinking.

On March 23, 2015 Eric Hovind, President of Pensacola, Florida based ministry, Creation Today, lectured on the topic of Critical Thinking at Troup County High School in LaGrange, Georgia. Two days earlier Hovind debated Creation vs Humanism against Mike Smith, President of the LaGrange Humanist Association. The posting of a picture of the event on Hovind’s Facebook page sparked heated outcries from atheist organizations demanding an apology from school officials.

On April 1, 2015, the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent letters to both the superintendent and the school principal informing them that their invitation to host Mr. Hovind was unconstitutional. Elizabeth Cavell, Staff Attorney for the FFRF wrote:

“It is unconstitutional and completely inappropriate for TCCHS to host a fundamentalist Christian speaker whose sole purpose and goal is the promotion of biblical creationism.”

In a statement obtained from the Friendly Atheist website Eric Hovind stated:

“I spoke on Critical Thinking and gave scientific facts. Never mentioned God or the Bible or Creation.”

After obtaining the FFRF letter to the public school, Nate Kellum, Chief Counsel for the Center for Religious Expression  declared, “Their legal position- as set out in the letter – is devoid of any constitutional backing; truly, it is untenable.” In a response letter to the school, Attorney Kellum replied to Troup County High School, “FFRF’s claim that Mr. Hovind’s presentation amounts to ‘religious instruction’ is downright silly.”

The Center for Religious Expression cited nearly a dozen court cases to show that the school’s invitation to Mr. Hovind was not in violation of the establishment clause, and that if they had prevented Mr. Hovind from speaking because of his religious views, a true violation of law would have ensued. “Even if Mr. Hovind had actually challenged evolution in this talk,” Kellum wrote, “it would not have violated the Establishment clause.”

“FFRF is the radical extremist part of atheism,” said Eric Hovind President of Creation Today. “Just as extremist groups overseas are at war with all those opposed to their religious beliefs, so too the FFRF – which embraces the religion of atheism – is at war with anyone who even thinks differently than its worldview.”

Attorney Kellum reported that FFRF is “a group of self-proclaimed atheists” who “frequently employ scare tactics to conform public schools to their way of thinking.”

Details about this event can be found in the links below.

FFRF’s Letter to Troup County High Schools: FFRF Letter.pdf

CRE’s Letter to Troup County High School: CRE Letter.pdf

CRE’s Press Release: CRE Press Release

Hovind Report: Link To Eric Hovind Blog

 

Copyright Free Images to use:

Troup County High School: Image Here

Debate at Troup County High School: Image Here